Lewis County Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument
Why it's listed
Standing at the southern end of a small triangular green in Lowville, this twenty-foot monument honors the Union soldiers and sailors of Lewis County. Cast from zinc by the Monumental Bronze Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, it rises from a three-stepped base through a plinth, tapered column and Corinthian-style capital to a life-sized soldier at parade rest. Raised lettering names battle sites such as Gettysburg and Antietam, and lists 267 local dead, with more names on the plinth tablets. Military emblems and a Grand Army of the Republic badge decorate the column. An iron coehorn mortar rests in front. Local veterans of the G.D. Bailey Post raised funds through public subscription, and the monument was unveiled on July 4, 1883, before a reported crowd of over 5,000. It is valued as a locally significant work of commemorative art and as an intact example of a rare zinc soldiers' memorial.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the monument is a locally significant work of art reflecting Victorian-era Lewis County residents' view of Union veterans and their cause. It expresses the civic values of the Grand Army of the Republic. It is also a representative, intact example of a zinc soldier monument made by the Monumental Bronze Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, a type said to survive in only about 125 examples.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 09000575, listed July 29, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Village Green, NY 26 and Bostwick Sts., Lowville |
|---|---|
| County | Lewis County |
| Listed | July 29, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000575 |
| Resource type | Object |
| Period of significance | 1883 |
| Architect / builder | Monumental Bronze Company, Bridgeport, CT. |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Art |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restoration was attempted in 1988, when the monument was filled with reinforced concrete. The west tablet was removed for condition assessment and is in storage in the village offices. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 43.79280, -75.49523 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 09000575.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6536469
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.